Testimonial

I always thought that standard [salary] is standard and there wasn’t much you could do about it. I learned that there is actually a lot of wiggle room. I understood benefits are important, but I didn't realize the variety available. The research tools I learned about will be a huge help!

For me, the most striking part about the gender gap is that many of the problems of salary disparity can be avoided if women just speak up. Generally, it is not due to overt bias or discrimination. This workshop really reinforced for me that it is important to be confident in my qualifications. I need to make sure I get what I deserve and not settle for less. The fact that is in my hands is reassuring, but at the same time a bit scary, so I'm glad I went to the workshop!

Women were seen as the secondary wage earner in the traditional home. They didn't need a higher salary because they had a husband who was the main breadwinner. The workshop was a great reminder of what I need to do to ensure I can take care of myself now and in the future. No one else will do that for me, not a husband and certainly not the employer.

I just wanted to thank you again for taking the time to come to UMSL and share the Start Smart information with us. I feel that it will really be a benefit to me in the future and hopefully I can teach my female friends how important salary negotiation is. The closing of the wage gap starts with us and I can't wait to use the tools you gave us today to one day receive what I think I am worth.

Would recommend this workshop to all women! Knowing what a job should really offer is very empowering! It is like buying a car. You wouldn’t pay more. It’s your money. The research websites are a great resource that I didn’t know about. The negotiating tips are invaluable.

I appreciate having this workshop. It has made me nervous about the future, but I feel I have gained better knowledge and tools to negotiate a salary and receive what I deserve. A woman will only get the same as a man if she negotiates and doesn’t just accept the first low offer.

Thank you so much for the absolutely terrific presentation you gave to faculty at Drexel University. As you can see from the attached evaluations, your session received unanimous, outstanding evaluations. In the history of my office, no program has ever received ratings as high as these!

The three hour workshop taught me more applicable knowledge for life post-graduation than I have learned all semester. I learned the importance of valuing my skills and making sure that I am compensated for them by future employers. I did not even know before the workshop what a negotiation conversation consisted of and now I feel very confident that I can conduct myself professionally in this situation.

Thank you on behalf of the WPSA for your wonderful and informative workshop…I am now mentoring non-medical female staff on how to address reviews and negotiations for salary etc. I feel so lucky to have learned such important skills that not only empowered myself for my own sake but also to help other women in all stages and levels of their journey through the work force.